Ficus plant named ‘ESPE1902’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Ficus  plant named ‘ESPE1902’ which is characterized by the combination of a compact growth habit, small pubescent leaves borne on pubescent petioles, pubescent lateral branches, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus andspecies of the novel variety disclosed herein is Ficus benghalensis.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Ficus disclosed hereinhas been given the variety denomination ‘ESPE1902’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rightsapplication number 2019/3117, Nov. 27, 2019, which is hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘ESPE1902’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plantmutation of an unnamed Ficus benghalensis plant (not patented). In thesummer of 2014, the inventor discovered the mutation at his commercialgreenhouse in 's-Gravenzande, the Netherlands, growing amongst acultivated population of Ficus benghalensis plants. The mutation wasnoted for its compact habit and small foliage and was subsequentlyisolated for further evaluation in order to confirm the distinctness andstability of the characteristics first observed. Upon confirmation ofdistinctness and stability, ‘ESPE1902’ was selected forcommercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘ESPE1902’, by way of stemcuttings, was first initiated in September of 2014 at a commercialgreenhouse in 's-Gravenzande, the Netherlands. Through five subsequentgenerations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to bestable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ESPE1902’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘ESPE1902’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘ESPE1902’ as a new and distinct Ficus cultivar:

-   -   1. Ficus ‘ESPE1902’ exhibits a compact growth habit; and    -   2. Ficus ‘ESPE1902’ exhibits relatively small foliage; and    -   3. Ficus ‘ESPE1902’ exhibits pubescent lateral branches,        petioles, and foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of‘ESPE1902’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in 's-Gravenzande, theNetherlands. This plant is approximately 25 weeks old, shown planted ina 19 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to makethe same in color photographs of this type, the mature foliage of‘ESPE1902’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements were made in August of 2020and describe a sample set of six 25 week-old ‘ESPE1902’ plants grown in19 cm nursery pots, at a greenhouse in 's-Gravenzande, the Netherlands.Plants were produced in a greenhouse with full sun exposure, ebb andflood irrigation tables, no supplemental fertilizer, and no preventativeor pest control measures utilized.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘ESPE1902’ hasnot been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety maydiffer from the descriptions set forth herein with variations inenvironmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations arebased on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘ESPE1902’ and comparisons with the parentplant and most similar commercial variety of Ficus are provided below.

-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Plant form.—Oblong.        -   Average height.—97.2 cm from the soil level to the top of            the foliar plane.        -   Plant spread.—Average of 40.5 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast to fast.        -   Plant vigor.—Vigorous.        -   Propagation type.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 40 days to            produce a rooted cutting at approximately 25 degrees            Celsius.        -   Time to produce a finished plant.—Approximately 18 weeks to            produce a marketable finished plant in a 17 cm pot.        -   Disease and pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor            susceptibility to typical Ficus benghalensis pests and            diseases has been observed.        -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10            through 13 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;            moderate to high tolerance to rain; low to moderate            tolerance to wind.-   Root system:    -   -   General.—Moderately dense, moderately branched rooting;            roots are fibrous.        -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Moderately deep.        -   Diameter of roots.—1.5 mm on average.        -   Texture.—Smooth; no root hairs.        -   Color.—Greyed-yellow, nearest to a mixture of RHS 162B and            162C.-   Stems and branches:    -   -   General branching habit.—One main stem; with sparse lateral            branching. Pinching isn't required but will improve            branching.        -   Main stem.—Length — Approximately 86.2 cm. Diameter —            Approximately 1.3 cm. Internode length — Approximately            4.8 cm. Attitude — Near vertical. Aspect — Rounded. Strength            — Strong. Texture — Juvenile stems are densely covered with            thin hairs with an average length of 0.3 cm. Hairs are            colored greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS 161 D. Mature stems            are glabrous. Color, juvenile — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS            144A. Color, mature — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146B and            axially striped greyed-orange, nearest to a mixture of RHS            1648 and 164C. Color at the leaf nodes — Yellow-green,            nearest to RHS 146B. Color of the oldest wood —            Greyed-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS 198B and 198C, and            axially striped greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 164A.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity of lateral branches — 2. Attitude            — Outward. Aspect — Rounded. Strength — Strong. Texture —            Densely covered with thin hairs with an average length of            0.3 cm. Hairs are colored greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS            161D. Color, juvenile — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144A.            Color, mature — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146B and            axially striped greyed-orange, nearest to a mixture of RHS            164B and 164C. Color at internodes — Yellow-green, nearest            to RHS 146B.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Division.—Simple.        -   Quantity.—19 leaves per main stem.        -   Attitude.—Upward and outward.        -   Lamina.—Shape — Long cordate to broad ovate. Aspect — Flat            to slightly concave. Dimensions — 18.0 cm long and 13.8 cm            wide. Apex — Undeeply retuse. Base — Cordate. Margin —            Entire; slightly, coarsely repand. Texture of the adaxial            surface — Slightly rugose and densely hirsute; hairs are            colored greyed-white, nearest to RHS 156D, with an average            length of 0.2 mm. Texture of the abaxial surface —            Moderately rugose and hirsute, particularly along the veins;            hairs are colored greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS 160D, with            an average length of 0.2 mm. Luster of the adaxial surface —            Slightly glossy. Luster of the abaxial surface — Very            slightly glossy. Color — Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface —            Green, nearest to RHS NN137B, and veined yellow-green,            nearest to RHS 144B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147B, and veined lighter,            nearest to RHS 145A. Mature foliage, adaxial surface —            Nearest to in between yellow-green and greyed-green, RHS            147A and N189A yet darker. Mature foliage, abaxial surface —            Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 147B. Venation — Pattern —            Pinnate, reticulate. Color, adaxial surface — Yellow-green,            nearest to in between RHS N145C and 150D. Color, abaxial            surface — Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS N145D and            150D. Petiole — Length — 7.3 cm. Diameter — 0.6 cm. Strength            — Strong. Texture — Densely hirsute; hairs are colored            greyed-yellow, nearest to RHS 160D, with an average length            of 0.2 mm. Luster — Matte to very slightly glossy. Color,            adaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 144B. Color,            abaxial surface — Yellow-green, nearest to a mixture of RHS            144B and 144C. Stipule — General — A single dry stipule is            present at the base of each leaf. Shape — Ovate. Length —            3.9 cm. Diameter — 2.7 cm. Aspect — Concave. Apex — Acute to            emarginated. Base — Broad cuneate. Margin — Entire;            undulate. Texture, adaxial — Smooth; glabrous. Texture,            abaxial — Moderately hirsute; hairs colored greyed-yellow,            nearest to RHS 160D, with an average length of 0.3 mm.            Luster Matte. Color, adaxial surface — Greyed-orange,            nearest to a mixture of RHS 164A, 164B, 164C, and 164D.            Color, abaxial surface — Greyed-orange, nearest to a mixture            of RHS 164B, 165B, and 165C.-   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH THE PARENT PLANT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ESPE1902’ differ from the parent, an unnamedFicus benghalensis plant (not patented), in the followingcharacteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘ESPE1902’ The parent Growth habit. More compactthan Less compact than the parent. ‘ESPE1902’. Foliage size. Smallerthan the Larger than parent. ‘ESPE1902’ Lateral branch Pubescent.Glabrous. pubescence. Petiole and foliage Pubescent. Glabrous.pubescence.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ESPE1902’ differs from the variety, Ficusbenghalensis ‘Audrel’ (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number15321), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘ESPE1902’ ‘Audrel’ Growth habit. More compactthan Less compact than ‘Audrel’. ‘ESPE1902’. Foliage luster. Slightlyglossy; less glossy Glossier than when compared to ‘Audrel’. ‘EPSE1902’.General coloration More brown compared to Less brown com- of the oldestwood ‘Audrel’. pared to ‘Audrel’. of the main stem. Foliage shape. Moreovate. Long cordate Elliptic. to broad ovate. Foliage margin Coarselyundulated. Slightly angulate; undulation. moderately undulate.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Ficus plantnamed ‘ESPE1902’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.